


Meteorite

by misbehavingvigilante



Series: Marvel Spookytober Prompts 2019 [28]
Category: Marvel, Marvel 1872
Genre: Alternate Universe - Aliens, Background Relationships, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 04:09:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21220331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misbehavingvigilante/pseuds/misbehavingvigilante
Summary: There had been a falling star last night.Its trails had been fiery reds and warm gold making it a truly beautiful combination as it had streaked across the night sky. The impact thereafter had even reached the town, mimicking a small earthquake and with the glow in the distance, it was clear that the meteorite was still on fire.





	Meteorite

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ExistentialCrisis713](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExistentialCrisis713/gifts).

> [{Join me for the spook}](https://marvelspookytoberprompts.tumblr.com/post/188006745165/click-to-see-a-better-quality-of-the-prompts)
> 
> Day 28 – Aliens
> 
> Usual disclaimers about canon 1872 not being able to hurt you here and the fact I actually haven't read the series but there was that whole cowboys and aliens movie... and so. Ahem. yeah. Also for my frequent commenter~

There had been a falling star last night.

Its trails had been fiery reds and warm gold making it a truly beautiful combination as it had streaked across the night sky. The impact thereafter had even reached the town, mimicking a small earthquake and with the glow in the distance, it was clear that the meteorite was still on fire. Not that Steve would have gone out in the middle of the night to see it anyways, that was a good way to die young heading out into the night when you didn’t need to be.

So he waited until morning and promised the townfolks he’d come back with a report about the meteorite. Sometimes they had useful materials, so Steve knew if he didn’t check out first, people would go looking on their own so it was best to get a lay of what the land now looked like and a good gander at the object in question.

So he took his horse out and went towards the direction he had seen the meteorite fall. To be honest, he could have made trip on foot to and from with enough time to spare for his Sheriff duties, but the horse was just the most convenient since he didn’t want to be away from Timely any more than necessary.

The earth had caved in from the impact, a few shrubs and other plant life had gone down roots torn from impact or blackened by fire. The crater itself was several feet deep, with pockets of smooth yet scratched looking rocks that looked an awful lot like iron, and if Steve’s eyes weren’t deceived underneath morning sun even a few specks of what looked like gold.

That would have weighted on his mind considerably more if he not seen the shape of man.

Steve wasn’t sure how he’d miss him earlier, how such a thing was even remotely possible as he headed down towards the crater with no mind to his own wellbeing. Saving people was his job after all, this man might not be part of his town, but he had come from somewhere and Steve had to do something.

The clothing looked tattered, a clear sign that there had been an impact of something but it looked like one of the style one might see the city folks when one happened to visit Timely occasionally. Perhaps the man had been drawn in by the meteorite but came too soon and got caught up in an additional blast as it fell apart? Or that he had been around when it fell and just had one hell of a bad timing?

It didn’t really matter at the moment so Steve was gentle but also unwavering on his commitment to get this fellow back into town as fast as he could so the Doctor Banner could take a look at him.

~

“So how is he?” Steve asked. He had only managed to swing by around evening, after his hustle into town, he had to explain himself and what he’d found at the meteorite. Given the circumstances, he wanted to make sure the man was alright before he gave the okay for townfolks to head out there and try to extract any materials. Not to mention, other Sheriff duties that needed to addressed during the day. 

“He seems fine.” Bruce said, sounding no different than normal but Steve had been around the doctor enough to have heard the unspoken but in his words. 

“But…?” Steve led, because if Bruce wasn’t going to volunteer the information himself, then Steve would just have to pressure him into doing so.

“It’s probably nothing.” That put Steve more at ease but only served to make him curious, he raised an eyebrow, clear in its intent to hear more, so Bruce sighed, and went on reluctantly. “His heart sounded a little odd at first. Sometimes people have a response even when they’re asleep to stimuli, so it was probably just temporary shock that made it beat erratic before it settled into something more normal. His skin feels a little odd, but given what happened, that’s not really unusual that there’s been some surface damage.”

“So he’s fine?” Steve surmised, hoping there was nothing else that the Doctor was keeping from him.

Bruce nodded, and met his eyes like an honest man. “I’m sure he’ll back to normal soon. I am curious about what he was doing out there, though. Not like Timely is a popular place to visit.”

Steve had the same thoughts himself. “You can ask him if he wakes up when you’re here, or you can just send him my way.”

~

In the end, the man can’t speak at all. Not that Bruce can find a cause for it, man has a tongue still intact, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with his throat, but still he can’t speak. Those bright brown eyes are intelligent enough to follow through with conversation at least.

Not knowing how to write isn’t that uncommon either, so Steve doesn’t think much of it. Clearly though he’s here now and that makes him Steve’s responsibility.

Eventually they settle on a name, not that Steve is quite sure if it the man’s name or if he just goes along with it, but it’s good to have something to call him. So that’s how he gets another helping hand at the Sheriff's station that had been well, empty since Bucky passed on.

Anthony or Tony as he responds to more does listen, but he also tinkers relentlessly with anything he can get his hands on. It’s not exactly a bad thing to have someone who’s handy around town, that will probably always be useful, but it is an annoyance when Tony has decided to do something to the jail cell, because apparently he was displeased with its design.

Steve is just thankful he hadn’t been coming in with a perk, or else he’s not sure what he would have done.

~

“Have you noticed he mainly stays around you?”

“Must feel indebted to me given I saved his life.” Steve shrugged, he hadn’t thought much of it, Tony wasn’t outright glued to his side but there was a clear preference there that he couldn’t deny.

The odder thing is that Natasha is speaking to him. She’d been quiet recently understandable, but her attention being drawn to the new addition in their town wasn’t overly strange. Lots of people had been talking about Tony since Timely didn’t get much visitors, and rarely more people that decided to settle down here.

Not that Steve was sure if Tony would stay, there was still a lot of confusion about what happened that night he’d been found but that had been overshadowed because of the meteorite with what riches it had brought. Extracting everything would take a while, but Timely would be well off for a time. Steve had been the one to suggest that they save it and not splurge on anything unnecessary, but he wasn’t going to deny his people an indulgence here and there. Life was tough out here after all.

Natasha didn’t seem convinced. “I don’t think he means any harm, but there’s something… off about Tony.”

“Off?” Steve questioned, looking back but Natasha had already disappeared at his side like a shadow disappearing into the night.

~

After that, Steve paid closer attention to Tony. Even in grief, Natasha’s instincts were usually on point so if he wasn’t seeing something and she was, then clearly he needed to do something more.

So he picked up on a few things that he hadn’t seen before.

When Tony is listening to someone, there’s a bit of delay as if he’s having problems processing the information but eventually works it out in the end because he’s never quite seen Tony get something wrong before when it comes to something that is broken. People, Tony seems to have the most trouble understanding which leads Steve to his next point.

Tony likes to people watch, that he is discreet but very observant and that’s how when he sees that Tony is mimicking gestures he’s seen on other people when asked about things, rather than crafting his own. So he’s acting how he thinks people should react.

Then there’s the headaches. Bruce had told him while Tony didn’t seem to have a concussion, that sometimes it took a while to come around and gave him a list of symptoms to be on the lookout for.

The slightly pained expression, the furrowed brows, and the delay in response all made Steve think Tony was having them, and thus he forced Tony to go back to Doctor Banner.

And to later on, go see Bruce himself after Tony was well and if Steve had a moment to himself because he swore he looked over sometimes and Tony’s eyes were less brown and more gold.

Clearly he was seeing things.

~

After that, Tony started to spend more time with Natasha. Which well, is fine and good for him really. It probably wasn’t healthy for Tony to not make friends with anyone but him. But strangely after Tony started to disappear from his day longer and longer, Steve just feels… unhappy.

It wasn’t like it’s been that long since Tony came to Timely, so Steve pins on the fact he had just been lonely after Bucky. That was normal and that made sense right?

What doesn’t feel right is when Tony and Natasha together and then he feels, Steve is reluctant to call it jealousy, but it sure feels like how people describe it. Steve has been married to the law for a very long time now, and he’s been content with his lot in life.

So clearly, he’s been alone too long if he’s having these thoughts. Maybe he just needs to spend more time around women. Outside of Natasha, because he wouldn’t do that to Bucky, and well, Steve isn’t really sure if Natasha will be ready for love again, but Tony does seem like a really nice man.

A bit odd, but like she said so herself, Tony doesn’t seem to mean any harm with all his eccentricities.

Not that he likes the idea of them together, but he can’t complain. Steve has no right to complain.

He’s on the way to a woman who’s always been rather fond of him, and not outright obvious but the behavior has been consistent enough that Steve is pretty sure she’s not going to say no, either. He’s told no one of these plans, he kept them private.

But then there’s Tony who appears, and apparently wants to do something together instead.

The familiarity of Tony wins out over someone he’s known much, much longer and Steve isn’t sure what to think of that, but he and Tony don’t have a bad night together either.

“Thought you’d be with, Natasha.” Steve said, having drunk a lot more than he usually did since drunk men were prone to nonsense, it could explain away any weird behavior he did.

Tony shook his head and then pressed his hand against Steve’s chest.

It’s a rather intimate gesture, but Tony has had to learn to communicate somehow, so he gets across his words with gestures since while Bruce had been willing to teach Tony to write, the process wouldn’t happen overnight.

Right now, Steve is very grateful that Tony didn’t pen down his thoughts instead.

It’s not the kind of thought he should be having, but it’s one he does.

~

There’s something strange about some of the metals from the meteorite is apparently the talk of the town. At first, it had been iron and gold, familiar things like that, but soon it became apparent they were dealing with something that they didn’t know.

It was possible as a small town, no one had the experience and someone else somewhere would have it. It’s difficult to sell something, if you don’t know what it is, but on the other hand, none of them wanted to be taken for a fool for not knowing the worth of something so it seems easiest to try and bring in an impartial party to identify what it is and what they can do with it.

“Would be nice if you knew what those metals from the meteorite was.” Steve asked aloud while Tony was with him at the sheriff’s station.

Tony slowly blinked.

“It’s okay that you don’t, we were just going to bring someone else here-“

At that, Tony immediately grabs at his hand, having more strength that Steve had thought he would with how easily Tony roused him to a standing position, and points towards the meteorite. The expression on his face is somewhat panicked, but the desire to go back is clear.

“Alright.” Steve agreed, not entirely sure what was happening but Tony had his reasons, he was sure. Tony let go of him before they left clearly having picked up what affections was and wasn’t acceptable between men, the smart fellow he was.

They shared a horse which wasn’t too unusual. Not everyone knew how to ride a horse, let alone afford one and honestly, Steve didn’t like having to chase down errant horses who didn’t know how to mind and Bruce hated treated horse related injuries as well so he wasn’t alone there.

That said, as Tony clung onto him from the back, Steve felt his face heat up grateful for the blowing wind since with as fair skin as he had, it could be an excuse for the flush if Tony mentioned anything about it. The ride to the meteorite felt much longer like this, even though Steve knew it really wasn’t that far from town.

When Steve got off his horse, he helped Tony down next who visited the now empty meteorite site. More than a few things had been picked off, or were in various states to extract, but no one was here after coming into contact with the strange metal.

Tony placed a hand on the smooth, strong metal and immediately it cracked with blue light like lightning but much straighter and as if it was following a pattern.

Steve had never heard of something like that happening and if it reacted to touch alone, wouldn’t have someone said that already? He had heard nothing of the sort, unless people thought it was a trick of the light before Steve could comment, Tony shifted.

There was no other word for it, it was still Tony, but Tony looked very different. His hands had turned black, soot stained like a blacksmith might have, but it didn’t look caked on and instead like it was painted on, to say nothing of his nails that had extended out into curved nails, the same shade of black. With Tony’s rolled up sleeves, he could see that the transition only lasted halfway up his forearm before it broke up into small patches of black ash before it met the rest of Tony’s skin color. Gone was the sunkissed skin and replaced more with something akin to metallic, silvery but not shiny, a matte like color.

Tony’s neck seemed to have a rigid pattern like the metal had but with black against silvers, curving up his neck not unlike what he’d seen when someone received a friction burn with what it looked like.

Tony’s eyes, though, it seemed Steve hadn’t been mistaken at all, they really were gold. And solid, completely solid, no irises, no pupil, no whites of the eyes, just entirely solid gold.

Steve was beginning to think he’d been out in the sun for too long or maybe he hit his head when Tony drew close, his feet not even touching the ground as their height was equally matched as Tony pressed his lips against his.

Not that Steve protested, he was probably too shocked with these turn of events to have even if he had been truly averse.

“I’m not from around here, as you can probably see.” Tony spoke, actually spoke aloud for the first time since he’d known him.

Steve blinked. “You can talk?”

“I can now. I have a sort of ability. I can see in my mind an image of what someone is thinking. So if someone wanted something fixed…”

“You could figure it out.” Steve answered. “But people were trickier, right?”

“Very much so. Natasha was… very suspicious. I’m glad she didn’t threaten me with a knife because that would have broken against my skin and then I would have had to kiss her to explain, and then she really would killed me.”

Steve is suddenly very grateful that didn’t happen. “I’m glad you didn’t have to. Not that Natasha isn’t a nice woman, but…” 

Tony chuckled, and Steve saw that his teeth had remained unchanged even in this new form. “There’s that and I’m pretty sure that Bucky would mind.”

“Bucky?”

“Yeah, I picked him up with my spaceship a little while ago. I was coming down to explain what happened and well, your atmosphere really didn’t like me this time so it crashed my ship. Don’t care so much about the iron and gold, but I need the other pieces.” Tony titled his head back to the still scattered pieces that had been mostly untouched aside from cursory glances and touches.

“Bucky is alive?” Steve’s priorities were probably off since it was very clear Tony wasn’t human and he had kissed him, and that needed some discussion as well but Bucky was alive. His best friend, Natasha’s husband…

“Yeah.” Tony repeated. “He is. Just need a little bit of time and I can bring him down again. Not like I really needed the extra iron and gold, it’s much bigger on the inside than you think.”

“Ah.” Steve felt a pit of dread in his stomach. “So after Bucky is back, you’re leaving?”

“I mean, I wanted to stay, but I get that you’re the law in these parts. So if you don’t want me to-“

Steve grabbed Tony’s wrists, a leftover of him fetching cuffs so many times for perks when they needed to keep place. “I want you to stay. If that’s okay with you…”

Tony kissed him again, and this time, Steve took more note of the affection. He felt the brush of facial hair against his face, it wasn’t a bad feeling just a new feeling and Tony’s lips were warm, very warm to the point that Steve wondered if his temperature ran higher than normal but he quickly ceased those thoughts when he kissed Tony back.

~

“I told him from the start that Tony was an odd one.” Natasha said, still a bit in awe of the circumstances that had granted her, her husband back but really not willingly to dwell on it too much. Tony had been harmless after all. “But he had stars in his eyes.”

“He is odd.” Bucky agreed. “But a good man…? Do we call him a man since he’s you know…?”

“An alien?” There was a smirk on Natasha’s face as she wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck. “Best not to since we have to keep that secret even if I’m sure all of Timely will figure it out eventually.”

“Well, that’s Steve’s problems not ours.”

“He very much is.” Natasha nodded before kissing her husband who had been delivered back to her at the behest of an alien who had fallen in love with the local Sheriff.

**Author's Note:**

> If you wanna chat, I'm on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/thiefoftruth26).


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